And here we go again, folks.
The fourth day of fluffiness...
DAY FOUR...
The position he stayed in all night was truely uncomfortable, but it kept the young human bundled under his arms and head warm.
His head was burried under her frazzled hair, gently patting his chin up and down on her shoulder.
It felt as if his synergy had given off to Umi, and warming her up quickly. But he still couldn't feel her move.
His eyes blinked open slowly, stinging of the tears that had came from his pain. Stranger looked down at the locks of hair messed around from his shuffling head.
She hadn't moved an inch from her pose that he took her in last night, which made him feel more worried. He moved back, gently holding back Umi's head in his palm.
Her face had slowly returned of color, a light fleshy pink, but her cheeks were scarlet red and hot.
But her eyes...
They hadn't shut.
Underneath was still white with dialated pupils.
Stranger's throat choked, feeling tears sting at his eyes again.
"Umi?" he asked gently.
He placed the back on his hand on her face, stroking down along the painted stripes down her cheeks.
It stung hotly at his cold hand.
"Umi?" he pleaded quietly, moving closer to her face.
A choking sound gargling in the back of her mouth.
That made him jolt to attention.
"Umi? Speak ter me,"
The sounds stopped, and a huff of air exhausted out of her mouth. Her eyelids fluttered closed, not reopening to Stranger's face.
Stranger waited for another sound. Another movement, hoping to prove that she was still alive.
But Umi didn't move.
She laid completely still in his arms, her mouth open.
"No..." he moaned.
"No...don't do this ter me, kid..."
His arm with her head in his palm moved back up to his shoulder. His arms tightened around with his eyes streaming tears.
"You did so good...Don't give up..." Stranger sobbed.
He smoothed her hair down her neck, stopping at the middle of her back, and his fingers slowly closing on a gather of her jacket.
The pain deep in his heart tore harder at him.
He wouldn't lose Umi.
He wouldn't lose his baby. Not this time.
As he rocked gently back and forth, Umi's strength was gathering back up.
His synergy giving off to her was slowly restoring her.
A flame exploded in her mind. Her eyes popped open, along with a rash, hard cough.
Umi clawed at his chest, coughing hard over his shoulder until she was out of breath. She stopped, and gave a crying moan, pressing her hand to her head, feeling a sick feeling tingle all around her body.
"Ugh...I dun' feel good..."
That voice made Stranger's pain fall away, and swell in to joy, as he squeezed tighter.
"Oh, kid..." he cried.
"I thought I'd lost yer..."
Umi sighed weakly, her head falling limp on his shoulder.
"Yeh...yer gonna make me lose myself, if yer easen up of your squeezin'..." Umi said a bit nasally.
Stranger pulled her head away from his shoulder, holding her down in his crossed-legged lap, stroking her hair gently down.
Her face was a bit pale than before, with deep flushed-red cheeks. But as long as her eyes were open and breathing, he was more than happy alive.
Umi smimled fondly, her head slamming down on his arm, and bringing her hand up on his skin.
"I'm sorry..." she whispered, smoothing her hand down his hairy arm.
He kissed her heated head, and rested his chin upon her.
"Why?" his throat vibrated atop her head.
She kept silent, inhaling deep, and declogging her nose to speak again.
"For makin' you worry..."
"Oh..." he grumbled, closing his eyes.
"You always do, kid,"
Umi made an affirming noise through her hung-open mouth, closing her eyes as well. She was sick, and she knew it well. Hot, weak, achy, all those symptoms that she had when she felt overheated. Which meant only one thing;
TLC, and no fun or play.
But she felt proud of herself. That she had save someone else's life for her own. Well, nearly. Almost sacrificial. It would also prove herself to the Grubbs that she would fulfill her duties as the legendary part of a Steef guardian's life, as a guardian, too.
Even though she would have to regret the effects that happened after the saving...
She groaned, falling asleep with a pounding headache, on Stranger's comforting arm.
Umi sniffed, her head peaking over the top of the blanket over her pain-sickened body.
"Oh...yer not goin' out again, are you..." Umi moaned to Stranger shuffling in the kitchen.
Stranger smiled from behind the wall he stood, then trotted out to the front room again.
"Nah. I ain't leavin' yer today,"
He moved towards the bed, resting a hand over her head.
"You's too sick ter leave on yer own,"
Umi sniffed again, turning under the blanket, and resting her head on the pillow. She hated being sick. It was the worst feeling of every feeling she felt. The tenderness of her head, the sick tingle, and the irritating, painful goosebumps popping over her pale flesh.
Umi grouched.
"I hate being sick..." she announced.
Stranger chucked, brushing her hair from her face gently.
"That's what yer get fer bein' outside, and disobediant,"
She snorted, covering her head from his hand.
"I was bored out'a my mind. You only said I was allowed outside until you got home," she told under the blanket.
"and you'd be gone 'til nighttime, and when the kids went back inside,"
He hummed quietly.
True to what the human said, he only allowed her to go outside when he got home. And what he did everyday took all the day to finish.
Guilt began to run through his head. He frowned, pulling the blanket fromover her head.
She laid sideways from his face, staring down from him with a silent face.
"Tell yer what, kid," he smiled, brushing a finger over her rosey-red cheek.
"I dun' have nothin' ter do the rest o' the week. When yer's feel better, we'll go outside,"
She moved slowly back up to him, blinking happily in her ill eyes. She smiled.
"Ok," she whispered.
Stranger nodded, then leaned down, and gave a kiss on her forehead.
She was still hot, but not as hot as she was when she woke up.
"but fer now,"
He moved under the covers, wrapping an arm around her mid-section.
"you's got'a rest. The only way ter feel better,"
Umi scooted closer to him. Her forehead pressed against his chest, mumbling a satisfied sigh. What made her feel better was the presence of Stranger closeby, holding her close in his arm.
And as the late afternoon passed by, both slept, hoping for a better tomorrow.